Romanian Health Min Says New Abortion Law Might Be Necessary

Nicolaescu made these statements referring to the 11-year old girl who got pregnant after being raped by her uncle , as doctors decided she should carry the pregnancy to full term.

"When the law was created in Romania, nobody thought that such situations might occur. Maybe there should be some legal amendments, which would allow the doctor to interrupt a pregnancy, even if the pregnancy is in an advanced state, where the fetus might be viable. There should be a public debate, we should see what Romanian citizens say, what the church and the politicians say. Wee should all participate and find a solution. But this side of legal amendments should be a part of Romanian society, not individuals," Nicolaescu said.

He added he can only speak of legal things, not matters of the soul and that any medical decision should be made by the doctors.

Doctors of the maternity hospital in Iasi, eastern Romania, decided an 11 year-old pregnant girl should carry the pregnancy to full term.

"The ethics commission makes decisions only in compliance with legal provisions, and the Criminal Code stipulates that people under 14 years of age may terminate a pregnancy only if it is life-threatening for the mother or the baby is deformed. Medical examinations couldn’t prove the existence of such cases and we’ve decided she will carry the pregnancy to term under medical supervision,” Vica Todosciuc, manger of the maternity in Iasi, said Friday.

The girl got pregnant four months ago, when she was raped by her 19-year-old uncle. Doctors in Piatra Neamt, eastern Romania, had recommended a termination of the pregnancy.